The plan was is Clack could make it we’d play three player Scythe. Otherwise Dave and I would play Star Wars the Deckbuilding Game and War of the Ring the card game.
However I wouldn’t know until Dave got there which plan we’d be doing. So I had no idea how many tables to get out or which game to set up. I hate not being able to get the setting up done in advance of folks turning up.
It looked like it was plan B. It’d be Dave and myself gaming.
We started off with Star Wars the deckbuilding game.
Dave was the “good guys” as he described them from the movies in their white armour, aka the Empire. Whilst I was the rebels. We used the suggested first/learning game setup from the rule book, with the optional rule allowing you to bribe neutral cards from the Galaxy row and place them in the discard pile and not your deck. The victor would be the first person to defeat three bases of the opponent.
Our first game was over relatively quickly with the rebels rushing the empire bases to get the win.
We enjoyed that first game so much that we wanted to play again.
Our second game we used the Whole Galaxy rules which basically means you are using all ten base cards. You are also playing the first to four bases defeated. It’s described in the rule book as the way the game was intended to be played.
It was another rebel victory.
Our remaining games were with the secret base rules. This is where apart from the starting base you choose four other bases and the rest go back in the box unseen. So your opponent has no idea what bases you have chosen.
I like this version of the rules. It gives you moments in the game where when you have to select your next base you regret not having one of those you put back in the box as it would be better for where the current game is.
We played three games using the secret base rules which saw an empire comeback to level the score at 2-2. Luckily the decider was won by the rebels.
So we spent the afternoon playing Star Wars the Deckbuilding Game with the War of the Ring Card Game not getting a look in.
Yes we both thought the game was that much fun that we were happy just playing that.
There are some nice touches to this deckbuilder that make it standout. Some I’m only coming across for the first time, others I am familiar with.
I think the first most obvious difference is the galaxy row or trade row. Only being able to buy your own faction cards or neutral ones is huge, and can be annoying if the cards hate you and it is full of the other sides cards! But the fact that you can attack the other sides cards in the galaxy row to remove them, and get a benefit for doing so is a nice touch.
Then there is the force and the tug of war that can be. The benefit of having the force with you is that some cards require you to have the force to trigger a more powerful benefit. For instance Darth Vader does even more damage if the empire has the force.
I like the bases and the benefits they give you either as you reveal them or as an on going ability.
There were some turns were I was getting some nice synergies/combos and drawing extra cards, getting cards for free and into play straight away.
It’s not a big thing but having the two coloured cubes to track attack and resources during your turn is really handy. It does stop you losing track and miscounting, well greatly reduces it.
Then you get fanboy moments as characters like Luke and co appear in the galaxy row and you hope that your opponent doesn’t track them before you get a chance to buy them.
The game itself has characters from the original trilogy and Rogue One. Although there are some notable characters missing. In one game I was just missing Luke to complete having the whole gang.
I really like the game. I think when I introduce Nathan to it so will he and I’ll be buying a copy for him.
Two copies does allow you play a 2v2 game for which you have to download the rules from the FFG website.
Look the bottom line is if you like deckbuilders, especially the aggressive ones like Star Realms then you will like Star Wars the Deckbuilding Game.